Selective cytotoxicity of Dehydroleucodine on human MDA-MB231 tumor cells and normal lymphocytes

MONTT GUEVARA M; PENISSI A; CARÓN R; NADIN S; BRUNA F; VARGAS ROIG L

Córdoba

Congreso; XXXVII Reunion Anual de la Sociedad Argentina de Farmacologia Experimental (SAFE; 2006

Sociedad Argentina de Farmacologa Experimental (SAFE)

The sesquiterpene lactone Dehydroleucodine (DhL) is the active principle of Artemisia douglasiana Besser, popularly known as "matico". This drug has cytoprotective action in gastrointestinal normal cells but its effect on tumor cells is yet unknown. The aim of this study was investigate whether DhL affects the viability of human mammary tumor cells (MDA-MB-231) and normal lymphocytes. MDA-MB-231 cells were cultured in DMEM (3 independent assays) and Lymphocytes (obtained from 4 donors by venous puncture) were resuspended in RPMI 1640. Cells were exposed to DhL (0, 5, 25, 50 and 100ug/ml) for 15 or 60 minutes. Cell viability was evaluated by trypan blue exclusion test at 0, 4, 8 and 24 hours after DhL addition. Cell viability of MDA-MB-231 cells and lymphocytes was not affected with 15 min of DhL exposure. Viability of tumor cells was significantly decreased with 60 min of DhL exposure; 25ug/ml DhL affected the viability 24h after drug administration (p< 0.05) and 50ug/ml DhL affected the viability 8h and 24h after treatment (p< 0.05). Surprisingly, no tumor cells were observed in the plates treated with 100ìg/ml DhL since the 4h after treatment. Drug administration during 60 min did not affect lymphocytes cell viability. These results suggest that DhL has a strong cytotoxic effect on tumor cells but not on normal lymphocytes at the concentration assayed. This work was supported by CONICET (PIP 5952)